[blindlaw] Study tips

Thu Jun 11 14:18:58 UTC 2015

Yes, I found converting everything into a word or text document to be very useful when studying.

One thing you can do is then cut and paste important parts of the main text into a separate file for notes (usally labeled something like "notes for contracts")

Another thing I would do is make 2 copies of the text file. Then I would read down the file from the start. When I had finished an hour or two of reading, I would hold down the ctrl and shift key and then hit the home key (I am a jaws user so this would effectively select all the material I had just read). Then I would delete the highlighted material and save the file I had been reading.  This meant when I went back to that file it started right where I had left off, and I still had a complete file in backup just in case.

Hope these hints help.

> From: blindlaw-request at nfbnet.org
> Subject: blindlaw Digest, Vol 133, Issue 9
> To: blindlaw at nfbnet.org
> Date: Thu, 11 Jun 2015 12:00:01 +0000
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> Today's Topics:
> 
>    1. Re: Study Tips for Law School (Stewart, Christopher K)
>    2. Re: Study Tips for Law School (Susan Kelly)
>    3. Re: Study Strategies (Tim Elder)
> 
> 
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
> 
> Message: 1
> Date: Wed, 10 Jun 2015 08:55:12 -0400
> From: "Stewart, Christopher K" <chris.stewart at uky.edu>
> To: blindlaw <blindlaw at nfbnet.org>
> Subject: Re: [blindlaw] Study Tips for Law School
> Message-ID:
> 	<CAAyF1PB7scsJCuj=P2aJ0YVoRgGTo2zeWb-0nrHG_UxaY6HSmQ at mail.gmail.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8
> 
> Hi Bruce and List,
> 
> I'm sorry for posting directly, but I receive the list posts in digest
> form and thought this would be a cleaner way to respond.
> 
> I love the idea of doing a workshop at convention on studying smart in
> law school. I will definitely raise this question when I attend my
> first meeting of the blind lawyers section at convention this year.
> Now, here are my quick hits.
> 
> First, for totally blind users, I strongly advise converting your
> openbook files into Word files. This is for two reasons. First, Word
> is easier to edit on the fly. And, second, I find navigation in
> smaller chuncks easier in Word. The main mistake to avoid is turning
> on your reading and just listening. This works in undergrad, but not
> law school.
> 
> Second, outline as you go!! Do not be the person cramming at the end
> of the semester. You will pass, but you will not best your classmates,
> which is of course the goal in almost all law schools. So, every time
> you finish a section, say it's contracts, and you have just finished
> offer and acceptance. Sit down for a few hours and create an outline
> of all of the cases and information regarding offer and acceptance.
> Commercial outlines can help guide this inquiry, and I'll happily
> share mine, but there is no substitute for doing it yourself.
> 
> Third, study your professor. I had a contracts teacher who was
> brilliant, but the information he wanted wasn't the information
> generally stressed in commercial study aids. Moreover, he could spot a
> commercial study aid answer a mile away. So, know what your professor
> wants.
> 
> Fourth, and on a related note, talk to your professors. Schedule a
> couple of meetings throughout the semester and discuss the material.
> Make sure you understand what he's telling you, and make sure you can
> communicate the material clearly to him/her.
> 
> Fifth, stay healthy. Find time to exercise no matter what. Eat well.
> Get sleep. If you are kind to your body, it will be kind to your
> brain.
> 
> Sixth, talk to your classmates. Find people you really mesh with and
> form study groups. Bring your own outlines and form master outlines.
> Quiz each other. Find sample essay questions online or, where
> possible, old exams from your own professors.
> 
> For anyone who is still reading, thank you. I have more suggestions,
> and I am happy to discuss them with anyone. This is a public list so I
> won't reveal my class rank, but it is high, and I'll happily discuss
> that as well on an individual basis. I hope this was useful.
> 
> Best,
> Chris
> 
> 
> -- 
> Chris K. Stewart
> University of Kentucky College of Law, J.D. Candidate, 2016
> Senior Staff Editor, Kentucky Law Journal
> Co-President, American Constitution Society
> President, Election Law Society
> California Institute of the Arts, B.F.A. 2010
> Ph:
> (502)457-1757
> 
> 
> 
> ------------------------------
> 
> Message: 2
> Date: Wed, 10 Jun 2015 14:45:36 +0000
> From: Susan Kelly <Susan.Kelly at pima.gov>
> To: 'Blind Law Mailing List' <blindlaw at nfbnet.org>
> Cc: "Stewart, Christopher K" <chris.stewart at uky.edu>
> Subject: Re: [blindlaw] Study Tips for Law School
> Message-ID:
> 	<BE4C4D55ED9DAD44AF21164D4915BF725F09C62E at SPEXCHMB01.central.pima.gov>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
> 
> Just a few added thoughts from someone who graduated a "few" years ago - yes, definitely outline as you go.  I was lucky to still have fairly useful vision in law school, but I think this works whether by computer or by handwriting.  I would outline the daily reading for each course before class, and then add whatever notes seemed appropriate during the day's lecture to that outline.  Also, small study groups are very helpful - different people will catch different things in class, all of which are likely important.  Also, we had at least one professor who would come in each morning and write lists on the whiteboard, which were never discussed in class and which were not in the assigned readings.  Guess what was the major portion of our semester final?  I would hope that no prof would do this with blind students, but sadly, one of my classmates already needed a white cane due to the effects of retinitis pigmentosa, and a woman in the class ahead of us required a braille machine to take her notes - thus, the prof should not have done this but because of tenure, was not taken to task over this habit.  Having a study group ensures that someone else will be able to share notes on anything that ends up being disseminated in an inaccessible manner can be quickly and easily gotten.
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: blindlaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Stewart, Christopher K via blindlaw
> Sent: Wednesday, June 10, 2015 5:55 AM
> To: blindlaw
> Cc: Stewart, Christopher K
> Subject: Re: [blindlaw] Study Tips for Law School
> 
> Hi Bruce and List,
> 
> I'm sorry for posting directly, but I receive the list posts in digest form and thought this would be a cleaner way to respond.
> 
> I love the idea of doing a workshop at convention on studying smart in law school. I will definitely raise this question when I attend my first meeting of the blind lawyers section at convention this year.
> Now, here are my quick hits.
> 
> First, for totally blind users, I strongly advise converting your openbook files into Word files. This is for two reasons. First, Word is easier to edit on the fly. And, second, I find navigation in smaller chuncks easier in Word. The main mistake to avoid is turning on your reading and just listening. This works in undergrad, but not law school.
> 
> Second, outline as you go!! Do not be the person cramming at the end of the semester. You will pass, but you will not best your classmates, which is of course the goal in almost all law schools. So, every time you finish a section, say it's contracts, and you have just finished offer and acceptance. Sit down for a few hours and create an outline of all of the cases and information regarding offer and acceptance.
> Commercial outlines can help guide this inquiry, and I'll happily share mine, but there is no substitute for doing it yourself.
> 
> Third, study your professor. I had a contracts teacher who was brilliant, but the information he wanted wasn't the information generally stressed in commercial study aids. Moreover, he could spot a commercial study aid answer a mile away. So, know what your professor wants.
> 
> Fourth, and on a related note, talk to your professors. Schedule a couple of meetings throughout the semester and discuss the material.
> Make sure you understand what he's telling you, and make sure you can communicate the material clearly to him/her.
> 
> Fifth, stay healthy. Find time to exercise no matter what. Eat well.
> Get sleep. If you are kind to your body, it will be kind to your brain.
> 
> Sixth, talk to your classmates. Find people you really mesh with and form study groups. Bring your own outlines and form master outlines.
> Quiz each other. Find sample essay questions online or, where possible, old exams from your own professors.
> 
> For anyone who is still reading, thank you. I have more suggestions, and I am happy to discuss them with anyone. This is a public list so I won't reveal my class rank, but it is high, and I'll happily discuss that as well on an individual basis. I hope this was useful.
> 
> Best,
> Chris
> 
> 
> --
> Chris K. Stewart
> University of Kentucky College of Law, J.D. Candidate, 2016 Senior Staff Editor, Kentucky Law Journal Co-President, American Constitution Society President, Election Law Society California Institute of the Arts, B.F.A. 2010
> Ph:
> (502)457-1757
> 
> _______________________________________________
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> 
> 
> 
> ------------------------------
> 
> Message: 3
> Date: Wed, 10 Jun 2015 14:12:04 -0700
> From: "Tim Elder" <tim at timeldermusic.com>
> To: "'Anita Keith-Foust'" <anitakeithfoust at gmail.com>,	"'Blind Law
> 	Mailing List'" <blindlaw at nfbnet.org>
> Subject: Re: [blindlaw] Study Strategies
> Message-ID: <014701d0a3c2$19e4c3b0$4dae4b10$@timeldermusic.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain;	charset="us-ascii"
> 
> Be sure to come to the blind lawyers meeting at NFB's national convention
> this July.  You will meet recent law grads and attorneys who can freely
> share their experiences at the reception.
> 
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Anita Keith-Foust [mailto:anitakeithfoust at gmail.com] 
> Sent: Tuesday, June 09, 2015 4:26 PM
> To: 'Blind Law Mailing List'
> Subject: Re: [blindlaw] Study Strategies
> 
> Dear All:
> 
> I am interested in the tips offered to Bruce, and Bruce thank you for asking
> for tips.
> 
> I think that we need an NFB workshop to help prepare us for mastering
> techniques for classes in law school.
> 
> Maybe we can have workshops every summer. I know that these types of
> workshops (LSAT prep and law school class and study prep) for blind and
> low-vision students are really needed.
> 
> How do we get this suggestion to those who can make it happen?
> 
> Thank you.
> 
> Anita Keith-Foust
> 919-430-1978
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: blindlaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Sexton,
> bruce via blindlaw
> Sent: Tuesday, June 9, 2015 4:33 PM
> To: Blind Law Mailing List
> Cc: Sexton, bruce
> Subject: [blindlaw] Study Strategies
> 
> Hello List, 
> 
>  
> 
> What study strategies did you find useful while in law school? I have a
> windows 8 laptop with JAWS 16. I will be using dream reader on the phone and
> a braille note taker with a qwerty keyboard. I cannot read braille very
> fast, so will rely mostly on speech. Any tips and tricks are welcome.  
> 
>  
> 
> -Bruce  
> 
>  
> 
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> 
> 
> 
> 
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